Visual level indicator



Nov. 29, 1955 F. J. DOUGLASS 2,724,898

VISUAL LEVEL INDICATOR Filed Jan. 23, 1953 FQHA/M 000641455,

IN V EN T 0R.

United States Patent VISUAL LEVEL INDICATOR Frank J. Douglass, Mnr0via,=Calif.- Application January 23, 1953, Serial No. 332,951

4 Claims. (Cl. 33-63) The present invention relates to the game of golf in general and particularly to a level indicating device useful to golfers for the purpose of determining the contour of a putting green. More specifically the invention comprises a visual level indicator in which all lenses and glasses are eliminated and in which use is made of aligned apertures through which the player views the slope of the green in order to determine with accuracy its slope prior to putting.

The problem of judging accurately the contour of the playing surface of a putting green is one requiring great skill and care. A putted golf ball will not follow the same path upon a green having one slope as it will upon a green having a different slope and in order to judge the direction and manner in which the ball must be directed in order to roll it to the waiting cup the player must judge the compensations which must be made for the natural tendency of the ball to roll downhill and not uphill. The visual level indicator constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises a simplified device adapted to be economically manufactured and carried in the golfers golf bag from which it is taken whenever he finds it necessary to determine the slope and contour of the surface over which he is about ot putt. Unnecessary lenses and glasses have been eliminated for magnification of detail is not necessary but instead it is necessary only that a horizontal plane of reference be present with which the inclination of the putting green can be compared.

With an appreciation of the problems present in the game of golf and which relate particularly to the putting upon the putting green, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simplified visual level indicator for golfers particularly for use in putting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified visual level indicator in which all lens and magnifying elements are eliminated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved simplified and economically manufactured level indicator suitable as a golfers accessory to be carried in the golf bag.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a golfer kneeling upon a golf green with his ball before him and judging the contour of the green;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of a simplified level indicator constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a section upon the plane 33 in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a section upon the plane 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring again to the drawing, the simplified visual level indicator constructed in accordance with the present invention is seen to comprise a hollow box-like body indicated generally by the reference character having preferably integral top and bottom walls 11 and 12, end walls 13, 14, one side wall 15, and a reinforcing 2,724,898 Patented N av, 29, 1955 central transverse wall 16. Body 10 is closed'upon its open side by a Wall 17 permanently and fixedly secured in place as by a suitable adhesive andwhich, to position it accurately, is preferably seated in a cooperating tongue and groove relationship indicated at 18.

Integral end wallv 15 is formed upon. opposite sides of the transverse dividing wall 16 with rectangular slots or apertures 21 which are spaced from center to center by about 2 /2. Wall 17 opposite integral wall 15- is also provided: with slots, indicated by the reference character 22 which, as is seen most clearly in Figure 3, are much longer than slots 21. These slots are all about the same height, however.

Body 10 including its closing side 17 may, in a preferred form, be made of a light weight rigid plastic material of any common and well-known type or it may, if preferred, be made of hard rubber, wood, or even light weight metal. The exact material of which it is formed is not of the essence but instead the configuration and the relationship of the slots are important.

In the use of the level indicator constructed in accordance with the invention, the player having arrived at the green and desiring to determine its contour, takes the unit from the pocket of his golf bag and places it to his eyes with the eye apertures 21 upon opposite sides of the bridge of the nose. As stated, the apertures 21 are approximately 2 /2" on center which means that they are adapted to accommodate persons with various eye spacing. With the unit so positioned the player, whose head will normally be vertical, tilts the unit until the upper and lower edges of the slots 22 are in exact horizontal alignment, a relationship which he will have no difliculty in recognizing, for only one eye looks through each of the viewing apertures and when in horizontal alignment the fact is obvious. He will then have spaced planes of reference, comprising the upper and lower edges of the aligned slots 22, which are horizontal and with which the contour of the playing green which he views through the unit can be compared. If the green slopes upwardly it will slope between the upper and lower edges of the slots. If it is horizontal it will be parallel to those edges. The provision of the two slots which must be brought into alignment insures that the reference base will itself be horizontal.

Having determined by the use of the device the contour of the playing green, the player is then better able to putt the ball intelligently to roll it to and into the cup through making correct allowances for roll resulting from the slope of the green itself.

While the particular apparatus herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A golf accessory comprising a visual level indicator for use upon the putting green and comprising a rectangular hollow box having opaque sides upon the opposite sides of which are positioned spaced pairs of aligned slots, one for each eye of the user, one slot of each pair being adapted to be positioned immediately before the eye of the user with said box held flat and above the bridge of the users nose.

2. A golf accessory comprising a visual level indicator for use upon the putting green and comprising a hollow rectangular body having opaque sides in which one side wall is provided with spaced apertures arranged to be positioned immediately in front of the eyes of the user with one aperture for each 'eye, and in which the opposite Wall is provided with slots which are elongated as compared to said spaced apertures and through which the playing green may be viewed with the first pair of slots held before the eyes of the player, the upper and lower edges of said elongated slots being horizontal and horizontally aligned to provide horizontal reference planes when said slots appear to the two eyes of the user to be horizontally opposite.

3. A golf accessory comprising a visual level indicator for use upon the putting green and comprising a light weight rigid hollow body rectangular in shape and formed in one wall with spaced slots through which the user may look into the unit and an opposite wall with elongated relatively longer slots providing the user with an uninterrupted view of the field of vision forward of the unit.

4. The construction recited in claim 3 characterized in that the elongated slots'have parallel top and bottom edges and are adapted to be aligned in horizontal relationship by tilting the box to bring the unit into horizontal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

